How might it affect them? Feelings and relationships ·
Feelings
Although your friend or relative may be healthy physically, having HIV is likely to have some effect on their mood and emotions, at least in the short term. Many people who are diagnosed with HIV experience periods of feeling low, isolated or lost.
For someone who is HIV positive, deciding to tell another person that they are affected is a big decision and they won’t have taken it lightly. If they have told you, it means they love or trust you and want your support. Although it can be a hard thing to accept, and you may experience a range of emotions such as shock, shame, loss, fear or blame, it is important to remember that the person is still the same person they always were.
Current and future relationships
HIV is likely to affect someone’s current and future relationships. The partner of someone who is HIV-positive may not react well to the news, particularly if they themselves then go on to test positive. Others may just not know how to deal with or support their positive partner.
People with HIV have the same rights as everyone else to have relationships and just because they have HIV doesn’t mean they can’t have sex. They just need to make sure that they practise safer sex – see HIV and Sex.
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